Sen. Johanns says U.S. must oppose statehood for Palestine

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas may submit his request to the United Nations as soon as today to recognize the statehood of Palestine.

Nebraska Senator Mike Johanns says the United States must stand beside Israel, as others try “to use the United Nations, not to bring about peace, but to undermine our closest ally and friend.”

Senator Johanns says, “Although President Abbas claims this initiative is a peaceful approach to resolving the conflict, the Palestinian authority has refused time and time again to come to the negotiating table and deal directly with Israel.”

Speaking on C-Span on Thursday, Johanns says U-S aid to the Palestinian authority “is not on cruise control,” adding, that Congress won’t “walk away from supporting an appropriate way forward in the peace process.”

Johanns says, “Setting up roadblock after roadblock after roadblock, President Abbas has demanded preconditions that have not applied to previous negotiations.”

President Barack Obama opposes the bid to win U-N recognition of a Palestinian state, sparking anti-Obama protests on the West Bank.

Johanns says the U-S needs to stand “shoulder-to-shoulder” with Israel.

“The U.N. statehood bid is counterproductive to a two-state solution,” Johanns says, “as it will further damage Israel’s confidence in the Palestinian authority as a legitimate negotiating partner.”

President Obama spoke before the U.N. General Assembly on Wednesday, saying a Palestinian state can only be established through negotiations with Israel.